An Unwelcome Face

Saveenah sat sipping the last of her tea at a small table that was set outside. The patio where the cafe had set its tables bordered one of Stormwind's famed canals, and Saveenah smiled as she enjoyed the view, making a few more delicate marks on the drawing of the scene she had made in the small journal laid out on the table before her. She bit the end of her quill, looking at the drawing thoughtfully and studying it to ensure that it truly captured the scene she was taking in.

After a moment, she nodded to herself, her hand coming down and expertly placing a few additional marks on the page, neatening the image up as her other hand brought the teacup up for another sip. Just as she finished her latest edits to her art, a shadow fell across her table and she looked up, a mixture of surprise, annoyance, and a half-smile playing across her lips in a moment.

Andissiel Moonblade stood over her, smiling down at her, his shadow blocking some of the good sunlight she had been using to critically examine her work. He had a large canvas sack in his hands, and was dressed in his usual mixture of studded leather and chain armor that always made her crinkle her nose at the noise it made. She did pause for a moment to admire it though; for all its lack of stealth (which he completely didn't realize!) it certainly hugged his muscular form tightly, showing off a physique that would make any mighty warrior proud.

"Saveenah! I've been seeking you in the city for a few hours now," Andissiel said warmly, nodding at her. "May I sit with you for a time?"

Saveenah sighed slightly and nodded, "Yes Andissiel, you may as well make yourself comfortable. I was just about finished with my drawing anyway."

The Kaldorei hunter nodded, shifting out of Saveenah's sunlight and taking a chair from a nearby table, dragging it over to her tiny table and sitting in it backwards. He plopped the canvas sack down on the ground beside him, his unstrung bow scraping against the metal legs of the chair and setting Saveenah's nerves off. She took a deep breath, calming herself and pasting a smile on her face.

Andissiel tilted his head forward, leaning over to study Saveenah's drawing and nodding in appreciation, "You do very good work! You've really captured the beauty of the canals, Savvy. Each time I see what you can do you seem to have improved."

Saveenah found herself actually pleased by this comment and nodded, relaxing slightly with a smile that was a bit more genuine now, "Thank you. I've been trying to make a record of any new places I visit or people I meet. As you can imagine, I've seen very few people in the wilds of Feralas. Coming here has been almost overwhelming."

Andissiel nodded, his gaze going from Saveenah's artwork and slowly crawling up her body until it met her eyes, "Yes, everyone's been quite worried about you. After you ran off with your sister, well...no one knew what had become of you and you've not been home in some time."

Saveenah's smiled faded, a frown replacing it. Andissiel had said 'everyone' but the druidess knew full well that he meant her father. Being a close contact and coworker with her father (whatever it was they did!), Andissiel was obviously there to check in on her. Her voice was a bit distant when she replied, with a less friendly tone, "I sent my father a letter informing him that I was going to visit Stormwind before I returned home. He hardly needs to worry as I'm in the middle of a populous, well-defended city that is the heart of the Alliance. I do not need him checking in on me either in person, or through you."

Andissiel frowned, obviously aware that he'd made a misstep. Seeking to correct the situation, his hands came up in a placating fashion and he plastered a smile over his face, "Oh no, it's not like that at all, Savvy! I just happened to be traveling to Stormwind and I'd recently spoken with your father, so I thought I'd come to visit. We all know how capable you are."

Saveenah tilted her head, studying the Kaldorei for a moment as if seeking a lie in his words. Seeing only a smile reflected back at her, she shook her head and sighed, "Good! At some point my father needs to understand that I'm grown up now and do not need him constantly watching over me."

Andissiel grinned, his eyes roaming over the druidess again as he nodded his agreement, "You certainly are. No one doubts that, Savvy. I really just wanted to say hello, let you know I was in the city, and offer to help out a bit, if you don't mind that is. I've brought a few supplies with me and things from home that I thought you might appreciate; you ran off rather quickly from what I heard."

Saveenah nodded, slowly closing her journal and tucking it back into a pouch along with its quill, "Well...yes, I did! My sister was very upset and she had to leave and I didn't want her to run into trouble."

Andissiel nodded, "It is good that you sought to look after her. You are kind-hearted, Savvy. Your sister has been known for mischief and not everyone would have been so thoughtful. You're really an inspiration."

Saveenah ignored the compliments, studying Andissiel with a keen gaze, "What do you know of Kyliska? Did my father tell you...?"

Andissiel grinned slyly, obviously remembering something that he chose not to share with Saveenah at the moment, instead taking advantage of her verbal opening to dodge the question, "Of course. And it's alright; you need not worry that your secret will be revealed to random strangers. I have sworn an oath to your father that it will remain between us. Consider me as a part of the family in regards to keeping such secrets."

"Alright then," Saveenah said, letting the matter drop. "You said you'd brought things for me? What did you bring?"

Andissiel nodded, bending down to pick up the canvas sack he'd been carrying. He set it on the table, careful to avoid spilling Saveenah's remaining tea as he opened the drawstrings, "Yes, I put together a number of items I thought you might miss while you were here. Some clothes, a few personal items, utensils in the event you decide to stay here for longer than you wish to stay in an inn. Your father also gave me some coin to give you so you won't have to worry over expenses."

Saveenah nodded, leaning forward and digging through the sack, mentally cataloging the items that Andissiel had selected. She pulled out a few items of clothing, holding them up to see what he'd brought of her rather minimal wardrobe. She paused for a moment, one eyebrow perched as she noted he'd brought one of her very worn, threadbare, and downright skimpy dresses as one of the selections. She held the garment up, peering past it at him, "Isn't it a bit cooler here for this type of thing?"

Andissiel grinned, eyeing the dress and quite obviously considering how it would look on her, "Well, in the summer it gets fairly warm and you're extraordinarily beautiful in that one, so I thought you might appreciate having it."

Saveenah felt a blush coming to her cheeks, the deep purple color adorable on her lighter skin, "Well...thank you I suppose!" She quickly stuffed the dress back into the sack, rooting through it and finishing her review of the items he'd brought. The last item within the sack was a bulging coin purse, with a hefty enough weight to tell her that her father had spared no expense to ensure she had coin to survive with.

As she shifted the coins, she also noted a small bit of paper at the bottom of the sack. Reaching in, she picked it up, noting that it was a ticket for passage on one of the ships that regularly departed from Stormwind. Peering at it closely, she saw it was for a vessel due to depart within a week's time back to Darnassus. She felt a stab of irritation pass through her as she realized it was her father again seeking to get her to return home. In a bit of a mood now, she shoved the items back into the sack and yanked the drawstrings closed tightly. She shook her head, trying to banish the thought that Andissiel had come simply to deliver that ticket specifically, "I appreciate you bringing me these items. I'll take them back to my room. I'm sure you have a ton of things to get done since you came here for some purpose, so I don't want to take up your time."

With that, she rose from the table, leaving her tea unfinished. Andissiel rose behind her, his hand coming to pick up the sack from the table, "Oh, sure! Here, I'll help you carry this back to your room before I depart."

Saveenah whirled, jabbing a finger into his armored chest and snatching the canvas bundle from his hands, "I am capable of carrying it myself, thank-you-very-much! I do not need to be coddled or have people checking on me constantly. I can and will take care of myself! Make sure the next time you see my father you tell him that. Good day, Andissiel. I will see you again soon I'm sure."

Andissiel blinked and nodded, his hands held out palm outwards as the petite druidess chewed him out, his voice placating, "Sure, Savvy. Whatever you say!"

Saveenah huffed once and then spun around, walking away with the canvas sack slung over her shoulder. Andissiel smiled, watching the sway of her hips as she walked away, contemplating the feisty personality of the druidess and the way it was not entirely unpleasant to receive a tongue-lashing from her. He sighed once, watching until she had moved out of sight around a corner leading to one of Stormwind's busier avenues.

He shook his head, the smile still on his face as he collected himself and headed the other way. Feh'menthar's daughters were both interesting in their own way, but no one had ever intrigued him as much as Saveenah. One day she would come to appreciate his presence and assistance, he was sure of it. Until then, he'd be sure she was safe and report back to Feh'menthar about the status of his daughter's travels.